The present invention relates to a car body structure and, more particularly, structures of a pillar panel and a pillar garnish molding for the car.
As the car body structure, especially, the structure for pillar panels of the car and pillar garnish moldings fitted to the pillar panels in the related art, for example, a structure has been set forth in Patent Application Publication (KOKAI) 7-117596.
By way of example, in the lateral sectional structure of the center pillar of the car, peripheral portions of a center pillar outer panel and peripheral portions of a center pillar inner panel are jointed together such that the center pillar outer panel and the center pillar inner panel constitute a closed sectional structure. A center pillar garnish molding made of synthetic resin is fitted to the center pillar inner panel, i.e., to the cabin side.
The center pillar garnish molding consists of a molding main body which has a substantially U-shaped sectional shape and extends along the center pillar, and a plurality of needle type narrow ribs which are formed on a rear surface of the molding main body, i.e., on the center pillar inner panel side of the center pillar to have two kinds of, i.e., high and low projection height respectively. Longitudinal side edges of the molding main body are fitted into lips of a joint edge welt positioned on the center pillar side.
The narrow ribs are formed at a predetermined angle with the direction perpendicular to the surface of the molding main body so as to incline toward the same direction. The narrow ribs with high projection height and the narrow ribs with low projection height are formed alternatively.
In such structure, if a pressing impact load in excess of a predetermined value is applied with some cause from the cabin side to the molding main body of the center pillar garnish molding, then the high narrow ribs of the center pillar garnish molding are pushed against the surface of the center pillar inner panel of the center pillar. As shown in FIG. 30, a first impact absorption pattern (a) is generated by inclined deformation (deflection) of the high narrow ribs in compliance with supporting elasticity at a predetermined level. Subsequently, if the high narrow ribs are further deformed to cause deflection more than a predetermined level in the same direction, then a second impact absorption pattern (b) is generated by deflection of the low narrow ribs in compliance with supporting elasticity at another predetermined level. In this manner, these two impact absorption patterns (a) and (b) are continuously generated and synergistically combined so as to absorb the pressing impact load as soon as possible.
However, in the related art, the pressing impact load which is applied from the cabin side to the molding main body of the center pillar garnish molding and exceeds the predetermined value is absorbed by inclined deformation (deflection) of the narrow ribs of the center pillar garnish molding. Therefore, if the inner surface of the molding main body is pushed against the surface of the center pillar inner panel of the center pillar when the narrow ribs yield to the load completely, then absorption of the pressing impact load is ceased.
In order to increase an absorption level of the pressing impact load, a sufficient distance is required between the surface of the molding main body of the center pillar garnish molding and the surface of the center pillar inner panel of the center pillar.
In other words, since the surface of the molding main body of the center pillar garnish molding is pushed out into the cabin rather than the surface of the center pillar inner panel of the center pillar, the driver or passenger in the cabin are likely to feel sense of oppression.
Further, upon getting on and off the car, the driver or passenger's foot, etc. may run against the surface of the molding main body of the center pillar garnish molding which being pushed out into the cabin.
Still further, when the driver or passenger in the cabin see the outside of the car, field of view may be obstructed by the surface of the molding main body of the center pillar garnish molding which being pushed out into the cabin. Therefore, improvement in such structure is expected.